TOPIC 7 Flashcards
2000 Watt society
That idea that a society aims for each of its citizens to use a maximum of 2000 watts per annum
Adaption (in the context of climate change) (3 points)
-Attempts to MANAGE the impacts of climate change
-The adjustment of natural or human systems in RESPONSE to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects
-either moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities
Adaption strategies (list 4)
-Flood defences
-Vaccination programs
-Deslanisation plants
-Planting crops in previously-unsuitable climates
Adaptive capacity (3 points)
-capacity of a system to adjust to potential damage
-Varies from place to place and can be DEPENDENT on FINANCIAL and TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES
-MEDCs can provide economic and technological support to LEDCs
Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
CO2 being COMPRESSED, TRANSPORTED, and STORED permanently underground, or CHEMICALLY FIXED to form a carbonate
Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) strategies
-Protecting and enhancing carbon sinks through land management (.e.g, REDD)
-using biomass as a fuel source
-using CCS
-enhancing CO2 absorption by the ocean through FERTILISING OCEANS with compounds of nitrogen, phosphorous, and iron to encourage the biological pump
-increase upwellings to release nutrients to the surface
Climate
Describes how the atmosphere behaves over relatively long periods of time (usually an average over at least 30 years)
What do energy choices affect?
Energy security and independence
factors of energy choice (list of 5)
-availability
-sustainability
-scientific and technological developments
-cultural attitudes
-political, economic, environmental factors
Effect of energy efficiency and conservation?
Can limit energy demand and contribute to energy security
Energy security
-depends on adequate, reliable, and affordable supply of energy that provides a degree of independence
-a society has a reliable (self-produced) source of energy)
-a country may have its own energy supply, but how safe is that supplu?
-also considered within the domains of energy security is the access to energy the population has
Fossil fuels in relation to energy supply
These contribute to the majority of humankind’s energy supply
Global warming?
The increase in the mean global temperature, leading to increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events
-potential long term changes in climate and weather patterns
-rise in sea level
Greenhouse gases (GHGs)
Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour that absorbs infrared radiation, which lead to an increase in the mean global temperature
International efforts against climate change
-IPCC
-NAPAs
-UNFCCC
what does IPCC stand for?
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Methane digester
Biomass is composted and the gas (methane) produced is burned to generate steam and thus energy to turn turbines
Mitigation (in relation to climate change)
Attempts to REDUCE the CAUSES of climate change and the use of technology and substitution to reduce RESOURCE IMPUTS AND EMISSIONS per unit of object
Mitigation strategies for GHG emissions (list of 4)
-include reduction and/or stabilisation of GHG emissions and their removal from the atmosphere
-include reduction in ENERGY CONSUMPTION, reduction of EMISSIONS of oxides of nitrogen and methane from agriculture
-use of ALTERNATIVES to fossil fuels
-geoengineering
what does NAPAs stand for?
National Adaption Programmes of Action
What is REDD?
UN collaborative programme on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries
Sources of energy with lower carbon emissions?
renewable energy in the form of:
-solar biomass
-hydropower
-wind
-wave
-tidal
-geothermal
nuclear power is a NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE !!!!
what does UNFCCC stand for?
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Weather
Describes the conditions in the atmosphere over a short period of time
3 factors contributing to energy security
-affordable/competitive supply
-reliable/uninterruptible
-accessible/available supply
reasons for low levels of energy per capita in LEDCS
-lack of trust in alt resources, esp in nuclear power
-lack of capital to develop alternatives
-lack of suitable resources
sources of carbon dioxide (list of 5)
-respiration by living organisms
-breakdown of organic material
-volcanic vents
-burning of fossil fuels and organic mateiral
-forest fires
sources of methane
-wetlands
-bogs
-stagnant water bodies
-rice paddies
-tundra soils
-the breakdown of organic material
-volcanic vents
-livestock
landfill sites
-melting of permafrost
-manure/sewage
sources of CFCs
-refrigeration
-air conditioning systems
-plastic foams
-aerosol cans
-solvents in the electronics industry
impacts of climate change
-can be adverse OR beneficial
-biomes shifting
-cahnge in location of crop-growing areas
-cahnged weather aptterns
-coastal inundation (due to thermal expeansion of oceans/melting of polar ice caps)
-human health (spread of tropical diseases)
changes in biotic components of systems and impact
-biomes shifts to higher altitudes –> crop growing areas will shift, productivity of areas will change
-animals can migrate but plants shift range more slowly, increased rates of primary productivity –> loss of economic, aesthetic, and/or medical benefits of species diversity
expansion of areas inhabited by tropical disease vectors (e.g., mosquitoes) –> impact on human health
impacts of coastal inundation as a result of global warming (6)
-increased coastal erosion
-intrusion of salty water into freshwater
-reduction of mangrove forests
-coral reefs unable to ontain sufficient light
-wading birds struggling to obtain food
-contamination/salinisation of soils and a decilne in agricultural production
impact of global warming on human health (4)
-increase in stagnant water -> increase in amount of disease-carrying mosquitoes
-people forced to leave their homes due to climate disasters -> become more susceptible to diseases (esp. children and elderly)
-changes in distributions of organisms -> new diseases are brought to new areas
-saltwater intrusion onto coastal agricultural land -> reduction in food production -> more widespread hunger and malnutrition
-impact of diseases increases
changes in weather patterns as a result of climate change
-~2 degree increase C of temperatures –> warming likely to be GREATER at poles , not equator
-changes in prevailing winds
-changes in precipitation
-continental areas becoming drier
global dimming
-reduction in global temperatures as a result of pollution
mitigation strategies to reduce carbon emissions
-carbon taxes to make fossil fuels more relatively expensive compared to other energy forms
-carbon trading to MANAGE amount of co2 released by different sectors/industries; places a limit on total trading
-carbon offset schemes –> attempt to reduce overall impact of carbon emissions by investing in proejcts that cut emissinos elsewhere
mitigation strategeis for carbon dioxide REMOVAL
-conserving/protecting/ehancing carbon sinks through land management (eg REDD)
-using biomass as a fuel source – may take up ag land and increase food prices
-carbon capture and storage –> 2 options either AT PLANT and storing underground OR removing it from atmosphere –> however tech is costly and unproven
-enahncing co2 ABSORPTION by oceans through –> fertilising oceans with nitrogen compounds to ENCOURAGE biological pump –> OR increase upwellings to RELEASE nutreints to the surface –> both put nutrients IN ocean which INCREASES marine food production and removes co2 from atmosphere
preventative vs reactive strategies in glboal warmign
-preventative: trying to prevent from taking place (MITIGATION) –> includes any strategy that prevents fossil fuels being burnt (specifically the ACT of burning)
-reactive: trying to treat the symptoms of global warming (ADAPTION) –> any attempt to reduce carbon EMISSIONS
